Because a Sense of Humor Does the Soul So Much Good

Yesterday we closed the ministry down for the morning to attend the funeral of a dear friend that passed away suddenly last week. Our dear Beth participated in the service and honored both Louie and his family. Out of everyone there, I can say I probably knew Louie the least, but did have the fun privilege to help plant Bayou City Fellowship alongside he and his beautiful wife, Vicky, who we all adore. If it was said once, it was said a thousands times that Louie was funny, and found himself in some precarious situations, but more importantly, he laughed at himself. He took life seriously when necessary, and lightly when appropriate. I have heard a few of those “Louie stories” and I found myself doubled over at them. In the midst of despair, it’s a sweet thing to be able to laugh at the funny memories. (While memories and laughs are a gift, I know many hard days are ahead for this sweet family. If they, Vicky, Catha and Crista come to mind, your prayers would be appreciated and received!)

Life is hard and if we take ourselves too seriously and can’t even find the humility to laugh at our awkward moments, then we really aren’t living. Besides not being devoted to Jesus, the saddest thing someone could say about me is that I lived life stingy and hard hearted, not being able to laugh at the funny and embarrassing moments that make up one’s character. Oh, the tragedy! I think this is mainly due to the fact that laughing is one of my love languages.

I learned this pretty early on because I like to think I am the leader of the pack when it comes to the awkward ministry. I have the radar to find the most awkward and interesting situations, and if you knew me in real life, you could attest to this.

In fact, a couple weeks ago I had just arrived home from work and in the hour of downtime I had before I needed to leave again, I sat on the couch to rest my eyes for a minute.

I happen to have the perfect view of each and every sunset from my balcony, so as I was laying on there in my half-awake state going in and out of consciousness, I could see that the sunset was getting better and better by the minute. I think you know by now that I’m a sucker for sunsets. The other day my dad asked why I never get pictures of the sunrise, and it’s simply because I can’t see them. Big bummer.

Anyway, as I could see the sun flare getting better and better over my apartment building, I knew my window of opportunity to get a good picture was growing strangely dim.

So I grabbed my phone, hopped off the couch and ran to my balcony.

And then this happened.

Yes ma’am. That is my balcony screen door laying horizontally. I ran smack into it and knocked it completely over.

I’m still a little stunned and confused by the entire situation, but it happened.

I could hardly stand up for laughing so hard all the while wondering who anonymously witnessed the catastrophe and how in the world my roommate was still napping in her room among all the ruckus? With what little dignity I had left, determination kicked in and at the last minute I was able to capture this.

Though I’ve seen better, I’d say it was worth it. And I was humbled to say the least.

Listen, I know I made a complete fool of myself, but instead of acting like I have my life together (BECAUSE NEWS FLASH TO THE INTERNET, I DO NOT) I posted it on the World Wide Web. Because somebody needed to laugh that day; even if it was at the expense of someone else. A bruised toe and a humbling never killed anybody.

And let’s be real, somebody needed to see that a picture doesn’t always paint the entire story. I could have showed you the sunset and explained how beautiful and perfect life is, but that would have been a total lie.

For the sake of all things sane and normal, can we learn to laugh at and tell on ourselves in those awkward and unexpected instances? Because I’ve heard it said that, “A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It’s jolted by every pebble on the road.” Henry Ward Beecher

Lord, grant to each of us a sense of humor!

And all the people said amen.

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53 Responses to “Because a Sense of Humor Does the Soul So Much Good”

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Oh, it’s always so good to hear others’ awkward stories, because when I’m in the middle of mine, it’s easy to feel like I’m the only one who has them. Thank you for sharing yours! Love to read your posts!

We believe in laughter through tears around here (thanks Steel Magnolias). I regularly ask my kids what made them laugh today and we try super hard to make ourselves laugh! Thank you for sharing. It happens to the best of us!

Oh Lindsee – the screen door sounds exactly like something I’d do!!! ha ha ha – anything to capture the perfect shot!
And I have to tell you how much I enjoy reading your posts! I love ALL the posts on the LPM Blog, but yours always make me smile and, usually, there will always be something in your post that I just know God meant for me to read! So thank you!
Blessings!

Amen! I’m still giggling thinking about the screen door . Thank you for the smile and the reminder not to take myself too seriously. I’ll be praying for Louie’s family and friends during this difficult time!

I love laughter and as I get older there is a definite need for laughter. My mom died in July 2012 after 5 years of struggling with Alzheimers. It was a sad time but we had a lot of good laughter stories. My daughters love to find humor in things that I do and tell me at least their nanny didn’t do certain things and she had Alzheimers. As I was driving home from Bible Study on Monday night my oldest daughter called to tell me how thoughtful it was that I put a flower in a cup of water to try to save it since it had broken off. The flower stem was fake and just stuck in the plant. How did I miss that? It must have been because I was running around chasing my 15 month old granddaughter trying to make sure she didn’t eat it. Laughter is a great thing.

Thank you, thank you for the outloud laugh that I just had! I’ve had quite a day, with just one of the things being that my precious Mom, who happens to have dementia,
for the first time ever……did not know who I was. At all. I see her all the time, I am her caregiver… she told me about myself, she told me her daughter’s name (me) and how this daughter does everything for her……and did not know me. Had no clue who I was.
Bless her heart. She’s been the best Mom.
Prayers appreciated for wisdom for us all. I just received your new post and you are adorable and gave me a really good giggle. Thank you!

Sister, I am so sorry, my heart hurts for yours. You are a good daughter and I’m asking the Lord right now to give the both of you a good day today with a few laughs and no questions about who you are. Thank you for sharing. Blessings to you!

J, I want to give you and Lindsey both great big hugs right now. My Daddy was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and it’s thrown our family into a tailspin. I’ve missed this blog, this community and these laughs, but reading your post reminds me that others know my hurt and that my God provides…I love it when it’s through sweet women that I’ve never met, but that share my Savior. I’m so glad your Momma told you such sweet things about yourself. I want to cry from the sweetness of it.

Amen and Amen! I LOVE to laugh, even in what most people would find to be really unexpected or inappropriate circumstances…. it’s just how I cope. We can’t take everything so seriously and continue to showcase Christ, can we? My favorite thing to laugh at is myself, and I got a chuckle from your story because, um, that same thing has happened to me (more than once actually).
Heart Hugs, Shelly <3

Oh, and if you get a chance to talk with Vicky (Louie’s widow), you might want to let her know about our Young Widow’s support group, Mourning into Dancing. It’s on Facebook, and all of us are or have been Young Widows. It will be very helpful to her, I think. The age group goes up to 55.
I started it in 2009 (God spoke to me while taking Beth’s study in Esther), and today we have 104 girls from literally all over the world in the group.

Going home to be with the Lord Jesus, & to be with loved ones is wonderful, but a shock to the family. Yesterday, our dear sweet, Darlene Johnson, who was Prayer Coordinator for the 2012 Charleston,SC LPM, father went home to glory. Even though he was 95,he will be sorely missed. He went home to Jesus on Jan. 8. Eight in Hebrew is the number representing NEW BEGINNINGS. Now isn’t that appropriate for such a day as his.

Lindsee,
I am also a sucker for sunsets! I made a snapfish coffee table book of them from all the different places I’ve gotten them. They make me happy and feel close to God. I really needed a laugh today because I got little sleep last night and was very grumpy. Thanks for making me smile! I wish I were there to see it in person. I would have laughed first and then asked if you were okay. Sorry, I can’t help it!

AMEN! I have to work on laughing at myself, so this is so good for me. I want to, and I do, but it is still hard for me. When I see how good it is to laugh at stories others share, it helps me know that the laughs aren’t really at YOU, but at the situation and that YOU/ ME just happen to be the ones that made that laugh happen! I did laugh at your story and it made me feel good! Thanks for sharing and thanks for the prayer to help those of us who are more “backward”,(they used that word right, cause I have it all backward !!!) Thanks again! God bless!

My humbling moment was Sunday at lunch…I hit my bowl of chicken and stars soup and it went flying across the restaurant. (think falling stars…). This was right after my husband had hit the spoon handle on the croutons at the salad bar and sent a spoonful catapulting. (our kids were mortified…I laughed until I cried!!)

Thanks for your post! I have a tendency to not laugh at myself, especially when there are witnesses :), and I needed the reminder. Your story also reminded me of something that happened to me one summer. I was watering the plants on my back deck when all of a sudden water was spraying all over me. I didn’t know what had a hold of me! Water was spraying all in my face and all over me and I could hardly get to the faucet to turn it off. Well, I did get it turned off and discovered that the water hose had a split in it. I got so tickled standing there right by myself and later thought that if the neighbors saw me they probably thought I’d lost my mind. I didn’t care though because it was so funny. I still laugh whenever I think about it. So thanks again for the reminder to laugh at myself. (Heaven knows I could keep myself forever entertained.)

I love sunsets and sunrises and take many pictures of them also, so don’t stop posting sunsets, but try not to hurt yourself next time We all need the reminder to lighten up and not take ourselves so seriously, or at least I know I do.

You inspired me to share my latest embarrassing (but really funny) moment. A friend and I had taken our 12 year old daughters and some friends ice skating. The kids were ice skating, and the friend and I were sitting on the bleachers watching. Ok, we were also kind of snickering and laughing at the kids trying to skate (and falling). I tried to jump off the bleachers to get a picture. Now these bleachers were only 3 rows of seats high. And the part where you put your feet was made of wooden planks that apparently were not nailed down. The heel of my boot caught the planks as I jumped off, and I landed in a heap in the floor. My friend and I had a big laugh. Every time I’ve told the story, people have told me they understand cause those skates are hard to walk in, and I’ve had to explain that I was wearing street shoes and jumping from a low height to a regular floor below. I’m the only person I know who could fall at an ice rink without ever getting near a skate or the ice.

oh my word. in my sphere of influence, i am the queen of awkward–i do silly hilarious stuff like this ALLLLLLLL the time!! let’s just say my middle name is NOT grace 😉 the worst was when i was a barista. i often WORE a drink (or two…or three) every day because i am just a klutz. i used to be mortified when i was younger,but have since learned the joys of laughing at myself. thanks for sharing your embarrassment…and the beautiful picture that still resulted from the mess you made (:

This so reminds me of the time I slammed my hand up into the moon roof in the car to test the air, thinking it was open…realizing too late that it was not…and having my kids witness it in the back seat (adult kids). Then about a month later I tried to hand my husband a cup of coffee thru his car window at a gas station…guess what? Yup…it was closed. Kids were there again to witness. We laughed so hard both times and it has been brought up many times since! I agree with your observations completely.

Wow…can totally relate. To both the running into the screen and knocking it into the balcony AND wanting to grab a snapshot of that beautiful artwork of God! Amazing picture! Thanks for risking your life to get it ;0)

I busted out laughing when I read about the screen door. Without question, this is something my daughter or I would do. So I read it to her. When I finished, I showed my daughter your sunset. She immediately said “Worth it!” Love this!!!

What a great message — thank you!! My kids affectionately call me an “awkward moment maker” and I am slowly learning to embrace this moniker. I know it takes humility to laugh at myself and your words will serve as a reminder that this can be a good thing.

I must say this was the best post I have ever read that you have written. And on EVERY point, I might add! Especially that part about not being hard hearted, UGH! The evil and hard-core world had been smacking me in the face in the last few weeks and I had been letting it harden my heart. I live for sunrises as my prayer room has two windows facing east so I get a lot of surprises through the oak trees as the dawn is awakened – mostly pinks, oranges and purples above the tree line. God always has a way of bringing us back to what’s really important! He often uses stubbed toes and funerals to do it! Thanks for sharing – I really needed this one! Bless you, siesta!

And all the people said “Amen” indeed! I think that a sense of humor is the first thing a person should look for in a prospective spouse. I love to laugh and laughing keeps one young! More power to you my precious, Lindsee. You are one in a million.

This is wonderful, Lindsee! I remember you posting the pic of the screen. I was reminded of my trip up an elevator this week at the King of Prussia mall outside Philly. I was a “tourist” so was looking everywhere. In my attempt to get a better look out of the glass elevator, I leaned in…only to hit my head on an inner piece of glass I did not see. I have no idea if the man next to me knew, as he kindly kept his thoughts to himself. I almost burst out laughing. I don’t think it left a mark. What joy to laugh at ourselves!

I could not help but laugh at you and this funny story. I did this same thing once – in the mall no less, but it was a glass front store. I bounced off and nearly wet myself laughing not to mention the friends I was with would not let it go. Oh well, I provided entertainment for the day. Praise Him! Thank you sweetie.

I read a quote many years ago that I loved, “If you can laugh at yourself, you will never cease to be entertained.” It basically became my motto and needless to say, I am entertained on a daily basis by crazy things that happen to me.

This reminds me of the time I backed into the garbage can three different times during the SAME incident (NOT three different days) – AND to make matters worse – it was in my driveway that this embarrassment happened!
AND to make matters EVEN worse still – the neighbor kids AND their Phoenician cousins were all standing on the porch next door looking down upon their crazy next door neighbor.
After the third crash into the trash can when I realized that just about every neighbor kid and then some were watching with huge grins on their faces, I rolled down the window and asked if it was a “10” or not. They all smiled, giggled and held up 10 fingers!
NOW you know why I never passed backing up on my driver’s test years ago!

I finally drove away – literally mortified – praying that God would still use me in the lives of my neighbors in whatever way He could through my blundering ways! I am so glad that HE is so much bigger than my embarrassing moments! AND glad that HE uses weak vessels! Thanks so much for sharing! We love you!

I am new to reading your blog and this one, even though funny in nature, touched my heart. My daughter has been bullied at school to such an extreme that she has had food thrown at her and been shoved into lockers. Moving schools this year has helped, but she is alone, sits by herself at lunch, and she feels very much ignored. She fell down the steps outside the other day when it began to ice and not one student helped her, but after they returned to school another student shared that she had something funny to tell the class and it was watching my daughter fall down the steps. How I wish she could have opened herself up to laugh with the others and possibly drawn others to herself at the moment. I’m going to share your post with her so that perhaps she can see that laughing at yourself along with others can be a good thing and not always a mean and hurtful thing. Thank you.

Oh, Katy. My heart hurts for her. I am so, so sorry. As a mama I can’t imagine how much you want to fix everything for her and protect her. I am praying right now that the Lord would bring her at minimum one good friend at school. Bless her, Lord.

What’s a Siesta?

Isn't "siesta" the Spanish word for nap? Yes! Then why are our LPM blog readers called siestas? One time Beth typed out the word "sistas," referring to our blog readers, and her spell checker wanted her to change it to "siestas." The name stuck! You can read about it here. If you read this blog, consider yourself a siesta! It's just another word for sister.